New Delhi: In a major relief for commercial vehicle owners and industrial consumers, the central government has announced the complete withdrawal of temporary restrictions on the sale of petrol and diesel. Effective from July 1, the daily purchase limit of 200 litres per customer or vehicle at retail fuel stations will be officially scrapped, allowing uninterrupted access to fuel across the country.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued an official order on Monday revoking the strict regulations that were implemented earlier on June 12. These emergency measures were initially introduced to safeguard domestic fuel supplies following severe disruptions in the global energy supply chain caused by geopolitical tensions in West Asia. During that period, the government barred institutional, commercial and industrial buyers from purchasing fuel at public retail outlets to prevent large scale hoarding and black marketing.
The crisis had triggered a massive price disparity between retail and bulk fuel rates. While state run oil marketing companies maintained stable retail prices to shield ordinary citizens from international price shocks, bulk diesel prices soared significantly higher. This huge price gap prompted commercial transport operators and industries to abandon their designated bulk supply networks and flood local retail pumps instead. Consequently, this sudden surge in retail demand heavily strained state run fuel stations, creating an artificial shortage and unequal distribution across several regions.
Following a comprehensive review of the current domestic fuel inventory, the petroleum ministry expressed complete satisfaction with the stabilised supply chain. The official statement highlighted that normal distribution arrangements have been successfully restored and emergency interventions are no longer necessary in the public interest.
The lifting of these restrictions brings immense relief to various sectors heavily dependent on regular fuel supply. Trucking companies, state transport buses, agricultural workers relying on irrigation pumps during the Kharif sowing season, and small scale enterprises can now procure diesel without any daily volume limits. The swift rollback of the policy indicates a strong return to normalcy in the Indian fuel market, ensuring that commercial operations can continue smoothly without facing artificial supply bottlenecks.